2A Exploring the global implications of different mindsets There is increasing recognition that the reductionist mindset that is currently dominating society, rooted in unlimited economic growth unperceptive to its social and environmental impact, cannot resolve the converging environmental, social and economic crises we now face. The primary aim of this unit is to encourage the shift away from reductionist and human centred thinking towards a holistic and ecological worldview.Author(s): The Open University

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2.1 Learning and culture There is increasing recognition that the reductionist mindset that is currently dominating society, rooted in unlimited economic growth unperceptive to its social and environmental impact, cannot resolve the converging environmental, social and economic crises we now face. The primary aim of this unit is to encourage the shift away from reductionist and human centred thinking towards a holistic and ecological worldview.Author(s): The Open University

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4.6 Global coal reserves and their life expectancy During the Indistrial Revolution half of the world's coal came from Britain. We still rely heavily on it today to meet our energy needs, but now we input more than we produce. Burning it introduces large amounts of gases into the atmosphere that harm the environment in a variety of ways. In this unit it will become apparent that the most appealing quality of coal is that there is plenty of it.Author(s): The Open University

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4.5 Global distribution of coal During the Indistrial Revolution half of the world's coal came from Britain. We still rely heavily on it today to meet our energy needs, but now we input more than we produce. Burning it introduces large amounts of gases into the atmosphere that harm the environment in a variety of ways. In this unit it will become apparent that the most appealing quality of coal is that there is plenty of it.Author(s): The Open University

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4.1 Global coal reserves During the Indistrial Revolution half of the world's coal came from Britain. We still rely heavily on it today to meet our energy needs, but now we input more than we produce. Burning it introduces large amounts of gases into the atmosphere that harm the environment in a variety of ways. In this unit it will become apparent that the most appealing quality of coal is that there is plenty of it.Author(s): The Open University

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4 Global trade in recycling

I want to look now at the global trade in recycling. Scotland is connected to the wider world by what it discards in a number of interesting ways. For example, a Clyde-built ship is likely to find its way to the Bay of Bengal to be dismantled.

3 Understanding globalisation

3.3 Global economy

We tend to think of the global movement of goods and people, and the interdependence of geographically distant places, as a fairly recent phenomenon. It is not. Goods and peoples have moved around the world for hundreds of years. From the trade routes of the ancient Silk Road, which spread across the Asian continent, to the spice routes of the Far East, from the shipping of tea to the tranAuthor(s): Creator not set

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3 Understanding globalisation

3.2 Global food trade

The global trade in food is seen to be associated with negative environmental impacts and is often considered unsustainable. The globalisation of food has also led to the development of global food brands. However, despite the threat of globalised food cultures, local food and an interest in local produce and recipes seems to be fairly strong.

Are local foAuthor(s): Creator not set

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1.2.3 Global power demand Energy resources are essential for any society, be it one dependent on subsistence farming or an industrialised country. There are many different sources of energy, some well-known such as coal or petroleum, others less so, such as tides or the heat inside the Earth. Is nuclear power a salvation or a nightmare? This unit provides background information to each resource, so that you can assess them for yourself.Author(s): The Open University

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Prof Snow Barlow, the University of Melbourne, backgrounds the sharp rise in food prices, and looks at how science and technology may provide solutions in feeding an ever growing global population. Also, Prof Rajinder S. Sidhu from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, discusses the impact of elevated food prices on Indian society. With Science host, Dr Shane HuntingtonAuthor(s): up-close@unimelb.edu.au (University of Melbourne)

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Ocean Circulation and Climate: Observing and Modelling the Global Ocean The oceans are a critical component of the climate system, storing roughly 1000 times as much heat, and 50 times as much carbon, as the atmosphere. In this talk, Professor David Marshall (21st Century Ocean Institute, University of Oxford) will discuss the challenges of predicting the evolution of a complex system that is grossly under-sampled and spans a bewildering range of scales in both space and time. These challenges will be illustrated through the important but over-sensationalised probleAuthor(s): David Marshall

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Predicting the Behaviour of Techno-Social Systems: How Informatics and Computing Help to Fight Off G We live in an increasingly interconnected world of 'techno-social' systems, where infrastructures composed of different technological layers are interoperating within the social component that drives their use and development. The multi-scale nature and complexity of these networks are crucial features in understanding and managing them. In the last decade advances in performance in computer technology, data acquisition and complex networks theory allow the generation of sophisticated simulationAuthor(s): Alessandro Vespignani

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Global Eradication of Infectious Diseases: Can 'Not Very Much' undermine the goal of 'None at All'? Despite the well-publicised success of global smallpox eradication, 'zero' remains an elusive goal for the majority of vaccine-preventable diseases, making reduced pathogen circulation, or direct protection of the vulnerable more achievable strategies. We will consider potential deleterious consequences of reduced infection transmission, in the context of diseases such as influenza and pertussis, where immunity following natural exposure may be superior to that following immunisation. ImplicatiAuthor(s): Jodie McVernon

Stiglitz on Credit Crunch - Global Financial Debacle: Meeting the Challenges of Global Governance in The global financial crisis reflects a failure of global economic governance. The failure of America's regulatory system has not only ramifications for the American economy, but for the global economy. It is clear that the banks' risk management systems could not even protect their own shareholders, let alone the well-being of the global economy. What went wrong? Where did the global financial regulators fail? What can we do to minimize the downturn? And what, if anything, can we do to prevent aAuthor(s): Joseph Stiglitz